Sunday, 19 May 2013

Taryn over at Widow's Voice is gearing up for a trip to India. As part of the post she mentioned a 'Once in a Lifetime Trip, Once a Year'.

I REALLY like this idea!! For years I've been building a list of trips I'd like to take, so I can add this concept to my savings plan and my plans for retirement (only some 20-odd years down the track...)

Climb Kilimanjaro

Visit Sri Lanka, probably as part of a cricket tour

Visit Argentina

Cruise Alaska

Trips Mr Trifectagirl & I wanted to take as a family so our children would have the experience are also on the list, but will wait until J is a bit older and he'll remember them.

Travel the UK from John o'Groats to Lands End.

Travel the East Cost of the USA, top to bottom.

Do a Dawn Service at Galipolli

I also want to scatter part of Mr Trifectagirl's ashes with some of those of his father in Cork, Ireland. I'll wait until J is older so that he can remember it.

Sunday, 12 May 2013

A few weeks ago I found Mr Trifectagirl's high school report cards. His grades were generally OK, particularly in the early years, but he was described as a 'distraction' in class and his grades began to reflect that as he got older.

Friends who are choosing to send their children outside of the public school system are starting to look at schools, or receive offers of places at their chosen schools. Competition can be stiff for entry; one friend did a school tour recently planning for their 7 week old's primary school education.

Since J will start primary school in February 2016, I figured it's time to get off my butt and look at schools, both for primary and high school. For primary, I'm generally happy to send J to public school, but I've always preferred to go private for high school; Mr Trifectagirl wanted his old public school, which I wasn't too adverse to, but it wasn't my first choice.

So I did some research on the public primary school our house is zoned for. It's what is known as a 'super school', where 4 smaller schools have been brought together onto one campus. Although it's all new facilities, I'm not too impressed with the size. On the plus side, at least it's only "Birth to Year 7", not "Birth to Year 12" like many of the other new super schools Add that results in the national standardised testing place the school at the lower end of achievement and since it's a new amalgamation, there's no historical data to see if there is a trend of improvement, I'm just not comfortable with this school. So I'm going for 'out of zone' enrollment for a couple of selected public schools, with hopes of moving into the relevant zone by the time school starts or at least within the first year. I just need to finish my own studies, then get a job so I can get a mortgage to move!

For middle and high school, this week I put is name down for one of the most elite (and therefore expensive) boys schools in the city. With Mr Trifectagirl no longer with us, the structure this school will provide may well be needed, especially if J is likely to reproduce his father's report cards! I've been asked why I'm getting his name on the list now for Year 7 entry in 2023. For entry at any level, the school gives preference to brothers of current scholars and sons and grandsons of old scholars. Since J is in neither of these categories, I want his name as far up the 'unconnected' list as I can get it. It doesn't mean we have to accept any place offered, but right now I need to set up the opportunity to get an opportunity to go there.

About Me

These are my adventures while working on the trifecta - a great home, great relationships and a great job. I'm a 39 year old mum to a toddler after my partner and I faced male-factor infertility and subsequent IVF cycles. Following a major medical crisis, my husband passed 375 days after our June 2011 wedding and I'm now a widow juggling the everyday demands of a toddler and life.